


No Regrets

by Slayer_of_Hearts



Category: Dungeons & Dragons (Roleplaying Game), Dungeons & Dragons - All Media Types, Original Work
Genre: Al's A Badass, Developing Relationship, F/M, Hurt/Comfort, I Love You, SimbAl Makes Me Soft
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-01-30
Updated: 2021-01-30
Packaged: 2021-03-16 06:54:29
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 1
Words: 8,000
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29078172
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Slayer_of_Hearts/pseuds/Slayer_of_Hearts
Summary: The first SimbAl "I love you" as I see it!TW: There is mention of poisoning, blood and some light stabbing so if that sort of stuff doesn't sit right with you, consider this your warning
Relationships: Simb/Al
Kudos: 1
Collections: Sin Bin DnD





	No Regrets

“I can’t believe we got another beautiful day!” Simba exclaims as he and the rest of the party finish eating their breakfasts around the now smoldering fire. “We’ve really been lucking out with the weather. At this rate we’ll make it to the next village by the end of the day!”

“What’s the matter, pussy cat?” Cherry asks, slinging her arm over his broad shoulders. “Tired of roughing it already?”

“Me? No way! I grew up on a farm, remember? The outdoors don’t bug me at all. On the other hand..” Simba’s words trail off as he pulls Al, who is seated next to him, close to his chest. “..I think my little Tiger here could certainly use some R&R. She’s been a little cranky lately” he teases.

Al wriggles her way out of Simba’s embrace and scoffs at him. “Did you forget that I practically lived on the road for five years? Also, believe me you haven’t seen cranky” she sassily retorts as she stands and begins walking toward the tent to pack her things. 

“Aww come on Tiger, I’m just teasing. You know I love you, cranky or otherwise” Simba replies, not realizing what he just said. 

Everyone freezes, including Al, and turns to stare at Simba. “Uh.. Simba bud?” Cherry interjects to break the silence.

“Hmm?” Simba hums in response while he works to fully extinguish the fire. 

“You do realize what you just said, don’t you?” Cherry asks, trying desperately to suppress laughing at Simba’s cluelessness. 

Simba cocks his head in confusion. “What? I just told Al that I love her. What’s the big deal?” After another moment of silence, it finally dawns on him. “Oh.. OH” he says as his eyes widen and his cheeks begin to burn under his fur. He stands and turns to face Al, embarrassment evident on his face. “Tiger, I’m..”

“WELL I guess we should, um, pack up and get on the road right?” Al says, cutting Simba off, strained positivity evident in her voice. “Come on everyone. We have to get moving if we’re going to make it there before dark.” She quickly turns and resumes her walk toward the tent. 

Simba begins to go after her, but Cherry moves in front of him, blocking his path. “Give her a little time, kitty cat. Love can be a hard, tricky thing for some people and something tells me our little Al is one of them” Cherry says, her normal jovial tone replaced by the weight of wisdom and experience. 

Simba’s eyes shift from Cherry to Al who has begun breaking down the camp, his ears drooping and a look of worry plastered across his face. 

\------------------------------------------------------------

After packing up the camp, the party make their way back to the shady, forest road they used the previous day and continue their trek to the next town. The genasi duo, Caspian and Humo walk in the middle of the party, talking and joking as they normally do. Simba and Al, who normally walk together, are separated with Al leading the group by herself and Simba trailing in the back with Cherry. Simba’s typical talkativeness is replaced by silence despite the moon elf’s efforts to strike up conversation. With the growing knowledge that her attempts aren’t very effective, Cherry begins to ponder a new solution, one hand stroking her chin. 

Meanwhile, in the sky above them, Syr soars above the party seamlessly, her elegant wings spread widely. Cherry glances up and lovingly smiles at her when an idea pops into her head. 

“I’ll be right back, pussy cat” Cherry says as she jogs a little ahead of Simba. She purses her lips and whistles a series of high and low pitched notes in sequence up toward the winged party member. Syr looks down, recognizing the special whistle, and sees Cherry motioning for her to come down. Syr descends by flying in a spiral, progressively moving closer to the ground, until she gracefully lands next to the moon elf.

“What is it, blossom? Is everything alright?” Syr asks as the two begin walking together. 

“Oh I’m fine cinnamon.” Cherry says as she takes Syr’s hand in hers. “But, as you’ve probably noticed, there’s a little trouble in paradise with our friendly neighborhood pussy cat and our muscly princess up there. Would you mind going up and talking to her?”

“Me? Talk to Alagossa?” Syr asks, her brow furrowing in confusion. “Are you sure that is wise, my love? Alagossa and I have barely spoken to one another so I am not quite sure if I am the most suitable person for this. It would make more sense for you to speak to her, would it not?”

“Normally I would, but my gut is telling me that what Al needs to hear right now, can only come from you, cinnamon” Cherry replies, lifting Syr’s hand to her lips and placing a gentle kiss across her knuckles. “Plus someone’s got to keep Mr. Sad Whiskers back there company.” The two glance over their shoulders and find Simba, still lacking his usual liveliness. 

Syr and Cherry turn to face each other again. “Alright. I will try my best” Syr says. “If there is something I have learned in our time together, it is that your instincts are seldom ever wrong.. When it comes to matters such as this that is. Some of your instincts in battle can be quite questionable.”

Cherry lets out a hearty belly laugh and retorts “I like keeping things interesting, dear!” Cherry pulls Syr closer to her and lovingly kisses her lips. “Good luck. You’ll be great, I just know it!”

“I know” Syr replies confidently. As she takes a few steps ahead of her partner, Syr spreads her wings and takes flight once again, gliding toward the front of the party. Al is walking by herself, deep in thought as she plays with the fabric of her shirt nervously. The tiefling druid begins her descent once again until she is hovering next to her fellow party member. Before landing, she asks “Alagossa, do you mind if I join you?”

Al is snapped back to reality by her flying party member. “Oh Syr! Yes of course. Sorry, I guess I just got lost in thought for a bit.” Syr gracefully lands once again and begins walking next Al. “I’ll warn you though, I’m probably not the best travel companion at the moment” Al says as she shifts her gaze back to the road and resumes nervously playing with the hem of her shirt. 

“Do not worry about that, my dear” Syr says reassuringly. “How are you? You seem troubled.”

“I’m..” Al begins, but stops herself, thinking over her words carefully. “Well.. I guess I’m a lot of things at the moment, but none of the things I should be. I _should_ be happy because the most important person in my life told me he loved me for the first time and I _am_ happy.. But there are other feelings too..”

Syr, noticing Al’s nervous fidgeting, gently guides one of her hands away from her clothes and holds it in her own. “If you keep playing with the hem of your shirt, you will wear a hole right through it. Continue, love” Syr says as she strokes the back of Al’s hand with her thumb. Al looks up at the tiefling, a bit surprised by the gesture considering they hadn’t talked much. A small smile crosses her face as she lets the other hand fall to her side.

“Sorry. It’s a bad habit I picked up a long time ago. Sim’s been..” Al cuts herself off, her smile replaced by a look of worry.

“Do you want to discuss what happened this morning?” Syr asks.

“Well.. if I’m being honest I’m angry with myself for how I acted” Al replies, balling her free hand into a fist. “I’m angry because I somehow managed to meet someone who genuinely loves and cares about me and I can’t even work up the courage to say..” Before Al can complete her sentence, she stops herself involuntarily, her fist tightening further out of frustration. “Damn it, I can’t even say it now. I’m such a coward.”

“Why are you afraid, Alagossa?” Syr asks, a bit more bluntly than she intended to. “What is holding you back from expressing your feelings?”

Al pauses for a moment, thinking about her answer. “I guess.. I’m afraid of losing him” she admits, letting her fists soften into an open hand. “I’ve only truly loved a few people in my life and.. I’ve lost all of them. That’s why I never really let people get close. It just made things easier or at least I thought it did anyway.. but then I met him. Simba is thoughtful and kind and unlike anyone I’ve ever met. It’s like he emits this.. bright light that makes me feel safe and warm and loved to the absolute fullest. He’s.. everything to me.. but that also terrifies me. He means so much to me that, if I were to lose him.. I’d shatter into a million pieces, not sure if I'd be able to put myself back together. So, I suppose there’s a small part of me that thinks never saying how I truly feel will make that heartbreak hurt a little less. Silly, huh?”

“No” Syr replies simply, a look of surprise crossing the young half-elf’s face. “I do not find it silly at all. In fact, I agree with you to a certain extent. The idea of truly loving someone can be quite scary at first, but there is one thing in my mind that is scarier than that”

“What’s that?” Al inquires curiously. 

“It is what you described before: never telling the person you love your true feelings before losing them forever” Syr replies in a more melancholic tone. “You see, I was in love once.. Before I met Cherry and all of you.”

“Really?” Al asks. Syr has never mentioned this before so a look of genuine surprise is plastered across her face.

“Yes,” Syr says. “She was wonderful. Courageous, strong, beautiful, loyal, loving.. Well you get the idea. She was to me what Simba is to you. She made me feel safe and protected, but also very loved. I could be my true self around her..” Syr trails off and the two party members sit silently for a moment.

“What happened to her?” Al asks, the words leaving her mouth before she can stop herself. “Syr I’m sorry, that just came out. If you don’t want to..” Syr raises a hand which causes Al to stop mid sentence. A small smile tugs at the corners of Syr’s lips. 

“It is alright. Talking about her is easier now. I have Cherry to thank for that.” Syr says lovingly as she glances over her shoulder. She sees Cherry being her normal, energetic self, still trying to cheer Simba up. “To answer your question.. She was taken from me. My courtiers did not see our relationship as something that would allow the kingdom to ‘prosper.’ The idea of two queens on the throne terrified them so they took it upon themselves to ‘correct’ the problem.. I never got the chance to tell her how I felt. I never expressed my love for her the way I wanted to and that.. Is truly my biggest regret. That is why, when I started having feelings for my beautiful blossom, I made them known right away. Time with the person you love is precious, Alagossa. You never know how long you have with them so, if you want my advice, tell them how you feel while you still can.”

Al is left speechless. As the weight of Syr’s story and advice sinks in, a single tear rolls down her face. Syr releases Al’s hand from hers and moves it to her cheek. Using her thumb, she wipes the tear away and softly says “Go to him, love.” 

The half-elf smiles warmly, appreciative of her friend’s words. “Thank you, Syr,” she says, placing her hand over Syr’s before running toward the back of the party and calling for Simba. The Leonin's ears perk up at the sound of his name and his gaze raises, seeing Al heading towards him. As she continues to close the distance, something catches Simba’s eye: something small and metallic glinting in the Sun, moving quickly toward Al's back. 

Without a moment’s hesitation, Simba arms himself with the shield strapped to his back and jumps between Al and the incoming projectiles. The mysterious objects bounce off of the shield with a resounding ‘clang’ that draws the remaining party members’ attention. Simba turns and asks “You okay, Tiger?”

“Yeah I’m fine” Al replies, turning to face Simba. “Thank you for having my back.. literally. What were those things?” The remainder of the party quickly move to surround the pair as they kneel down to investigate. A dozen or so tiny darts lay scattered across the ground, providing the answer to Al’s question. They are roughly five inches in length and are black except for a white skull embossed on one side. The portion that had drawn Simba’s attention was the metallic, needle-like tip which appeared to be dipped in something prior to them being fired. “Well this isn’t promising” Al says, carefully inspecting one of the darts. 

“My apologies, everyone” an unfamiliar voice casually says from the nearby brush. The party draws their weapons and is fully on guard as a group of strangers emerges from their hiding place. At the front of the group was a tall human man, the apparent leader of the group. He is tall in stature with a muscular build, chocolate brown hair that falls in waves just above his shoulders and forest green eyes. His clothes are nothing extraordinary, but the long staff he has strapped to his back draws the party’s attention. 

‘Why does this guy look so familiar?’ Al and Simba think to themselves. They glance at each other, knowing the other is probably thinking the same thing. ‘Have we met him before?’

“My men and I were doing some target practice” the leader says, revealing himself as the unknown voice from before. “We’ll have to aim a little better next time.” There was no sincerity in the man’s words which made the party uneasy.

“Target practice with what appears to be poisoned darts?” Al asks skeptically, daggers still drawn. “That doesn’t seem to be very safe.. Who are you and why are you here?”

The leader chuckles which elicits looks of confusion from the party. “Well, it looks like my brother was right after all. In addition to being positively stunning, you’re _very_ observant” the leader says, his voice laced with an unsettling sugary sweetness. “Also that feline friend of yours will do whatever it takes to protect you.” 

Simba and Al look at each other, realization crossing both of their faces. “You’re related to that bandit guy, Grim!” Simba exclaims, thinking back to his anger, how he nearly lost control of himself, Al calmly talking him down.

“Ding ding ding! Give the kitty a prize!” the leader says with fake enthusiasm. “The name’s Tiran. As your friend pointed out so astutely, Grim, the bandit you got locked up after nearly mauling him is my brother. Now I’m not the type of person that takes kindly to people who mess with my family.” Tiran unsheathes his staff as he begins to casually saunter toward the party. The staff is long and thin, crafted from a strange, pitch black wood. It is perfectly straight save for a bend at the top that leads into a tight spiral, an obsidian colored gemstone in the center. Syr senses a great deal of magical energy emanating from the staff so she instinctively puts herself between the stranger and the rest of the party, readying her quarterstaff.

“Woah there, I don’t want to pick a fight” Tiran says, raising his arms as if surrendering. “I’m simply here to collect the payment that is due to me given the _stress_ and _hardship_ you put my family through.” Tiran lowers his hands and points the top of his staff toward where Al and Simba are standing. “Give me these two and we’ll let the rest of you go freely. Deal?”

“And what makes you think we’ll hand them over, stick man?” Cherry asks as she moves herself next to Syr, readying herself for a fight.

“You must be out of your mind if you think we would bow to a snake like you” Syr says, not giving in to Tiran’s commands.

“Tck tck tck, you folks drive a hard bargain but I’m feeling nice today so I’ll haggle with you” Tiran says, placing the base of his staff back on the ground. He points a casual finger at Al and says “Give me the beautiful little lady over there and we’ll call our debt settled. The only thing that cat is good for is a throw rug which is way more trouble than it’s worth. Her on the other hand.. She’s bound to make someone _very_ happy, even if that someone is me.” Tiran winks in Al’s direction which earns him an eyeroll. 

“That’s it!” Simba screams, the blatant disrespect for his Tiger being the final straw. Shifting to all fours, he darts from his spot next to Al, weaving between Syr and Cherry. His pupils shrink, slightly larger than the head of a pin as he closes in on Tiran, fully ready to make him pay for what he said. Simba leaps in the air, body outstretched and claws glinting in the sunlight and ready to strike. In response, Tiran lazily lifts the base of his staff off the ground, unfazed by the Leonin’s assault. “Down kitty” he says smugly, slamming it on the ground again. In a flourish of darkness, thick, black tendrils erupt from Tiran’s feet and swiftly move towards Simba. The tendrils wrap themselves around his arms, legs and torso and drag his body down to the ground with a loud, hard thump against the forest floor. 

“Simba!” Al screams as she runs toward her partner, eyes widened in fear and disbelief at how easily he was taken down. The rest of the party follow close behind her, a similar look etched on their faces. As quickly as they begin moving, they are stopped, another barrage of black tendrils grabbing hold of their limbs. As the inky black appendages tighten their grasp, they suspend the remaining party members in the air, Simba left alone and pinned to the ground. Al looks to the rest of the party, hoping one of the more magically inclined members can figure a way out of this. However, what she sees causes her heart to sink, forming a pit in her stomach. The remaining party members are pale and just on the edge of consciousness, their shadowy bonds seeming to drain them of their energy and magic. Al struggles against her restraints, wanting nothing more than to hold Simba in her arms and say the three words she was so terrified to say before. “Simba!” she screams again, _needing_ to hear his voice. 

The Leonin cranes his neck up, trying desperately to see where Al is. “Al, are you okay? Everything’s going to be fine, I promise.” Suddenly, Simba feels a sharp heel dig into the space between his shoulder blades, causing him to let out a growl. 

“As you can see, I have the upper hand here, kitty cat” Tiran says looking down at his captive, a smug look on his face. He shifts his gaze up toward Al, digging his heel deeper into Simba’s back eliciting another growl. “Now, Al was it? You have two options. You can either come with me peacefully or I’ll do some very unpleasant things to your friends here. Starting with him.” Tiran points a finger down at Simba, lifting his heel while doing so. With a wave of his staff, the Leonin is lifted off the ground, still trapped in his shadowy prison. Another flick of Tiran’s wrist sends him flying through the air, stopped only by making hard, painful contact with the sturdy trunk of a nearby tree. Simba lets out a loud, resounding roar as the leaves from the branches above shake and fall down around him. With a smirk tugging at the corners of his lips, Tiran continues moving his staff back and forth, throwing the towering lion around as if he’s nothing more than a rag doll. 

Al’s eyes widen as she watches the horror unfold in front of her. ‘This can’t be happening’ she thinks to herself, willing herself to wake up from this nightmare. Unfortunately for her, this was very real. The thuds of Simba’s body being thrown against the ground or the surrounding trees, his anguished roars.. Al’s heart feels ready to shatter like a fragile piece of glass. The person who’s come to mean so much to her was getting hurt on her behalf and the worst part of it was she was powerless to do anything in her current state. She strains and struggles against the darkness trapping her wrists and ankles, but her efforts are fruitless. Tears of frustration stream down her pale cheeks as she turns her gaze back toward her fellow party members, a drained, feeble look still present on their semi-conscious faces. ‘Think Al, think!’ she practically screams to herself. Her eyes dart around, frantically searching for an answer to her plight. When Al’s eyes land on the ground beneath where she is suspended, she sees something: the sunlight glinting off of something in the grass. Something familiar. ‘That’s it!’ she exclaims in her mind. 

“Alright!” Al screams, a look of defeat crossing her features as she hangs her head. “You win. I’ll go with you, just.. Please. Stop hurting him.” Al’s voice shakes as she tries to maintain her composure.

“That wasn’t so hard now was it?” Tiran says, letting Simba’s now limp, unconscious body hit the ground with a final thud. His fur is matted and covered in blood which causes Al’s breathing to hitch for a moment. She is able to see his chest rise and fall with his breath, reassuring her he is still alive.She breathes out a sigh of relief as she shifts her attention back to her plan. ”Now let’s get you down from there shall we?” With a flick of his wrist, the tendrils retreat from Al’s wrists and ankles, resulting in her falling to the ground. She gracefully lands with both feet under her, barely making a sound. “Drop your weapons and come over here, pet” Tiran commands, signalling Al to come to him with the curl of his index finger. 

Al holds her hands out in front of her, making sure they are visible, as she squats down to place them on the ground. She takes this opportunity to put her plan into motion. She stands and slowly makes her way over to the wizard, her brow furrowed and an intense glare radiating from her golden eyes. 

“Cheer up, beautiful. In my eyes, this is a major upgrade for you. Now, how about you give your new master a kiss. For the purpose of sealing the deal of course.” The wizard places the staff longways behind Al’s back and pulls her closer to him, closing his eyes and leaning his head forward until their lips are mere inches apart. She begins to lean in too, the still suspended party members looking on in disbelief, fighting against their bonds with the little strength they have left. 

Right before their lips meet, Tiran’s eyes shoot open, feeling a sharp sensation in the right side of his neck and his left thigh. “OW! What the?” he begins, slowly realizing what’s happening as he focuses back on the half elf. 

Al shifts herself so she is able to whisper in Tiran’s left ear. “You know..” she begins. “If you’re going to use poison darts, you really shouldn’t leave them around for anyone to find. I guess I should thank you for telling me to drop my weapons, otherwise I wouldn’t have been able to grab them without you noticing.” Al twists her hands slightly, digging the darts resting between her fingers deeper into the wizard’s skin. When Tiran doesn’t motion for the crew to leave, their mission supposedly accomplished, they start to approach the pair with their weapons drawn. “Tell them to stand back” Al whispers, twisting her hands again to emphasize her point. 

“S-stand down, men” Tiran calls, trying to keep his voice even and controlled, fighting the pain so as not to raise suspicion. 

“Good,” Al says. “Now, let me present your situation to you. I have six darts in you right now. Three in your carotid artery” she says as she applies more pressure to Tiran’s neck, earning a hiss from behind his clenched teeth. “And three in your femoral artery” she says, doing the same to his thigh. “With 6 times the dose of the poison as well as these points of entry, you are going to have a very bad time unless you act quickly. Now you have two choices. You can either leave with your men, get the antidote and be on your merry way, or… well I’ll let the second option be a surprise. If I were you, I’d pick the first one.” Al let’s a small smirk come across her face, her plan working flawlessly. 

Tiran clenches his jaw, the pain in his neck and thigh growing as the effects of the poison start to rear its head. His whole body feels like it’s resting over a roaring fire, his skin hot to touch and sweat droplets forming along his brow. He feels a sudden sense of tiredness and fatigue wash over him, another symptom of the poison. Stubbornly, he looks Al in the eyes and says “If you think I would surrender so easily to someone like you, you are sadly mistaken.” He raises a hand as high as he is able to and signals his men to resume their approach.

“I’ll take that as you passing on choice one and opting for choice two. Don’t say I didn’t warn you.” Al throws her head back and forcefully brings it back forward, headbutting the wizard square in the nose. He stumbles backwards, letting the staff fall down at his side as he clutches his now bloodied nose. Now free to move, Al takes a few steps backwards, readying herself in a fighting stance. With a wave of his staff, the inky black wisps erupt from under Tiran once again to recapture his lost target. However, the tendrils’ motions are more sluggish and uncoordinated than they were before, affected by the wizard’s weakened state. 

Light on her feet, Al maneuvers her way in and out of the shadowy wisps determined not to get trapped again. With the half elf surrounded by streaks of darkness, Tiran’s men move to the edges of the assault not wanting to get caught in the fray. A barrage of weapons, including more of the poison darts, soar through the air towards her, but she evades them with expert precision and acrobatics. She slowly slinks her way back toward Tiran with a confident, strong look burning behind her golden eyes. Briefly, she kneels to the ground, pulling a third dagger from her boot before standing again. Readying the dagger in her hand, Al closes the remaining distance and drives the blade through the wizard’s stomach.

Blood pools around the wound, soaking through the man’s shirt. Tiran glances down at the dagger, eyes widening as his gaze returns to Al. His crew looks on in absolute horror as their leader is the absolute mercy of the half elf woman. Not wanting to meet a similar fate, they keep their distance. The man bursts into a fit of coughs that shake his whole body. Trails of blood follow the coughs and run down the corners of his mouth, staining his skin. “No one messes with the people I love” Al says as she unsheaths her blade from the man’s torso. Her blazing eyes still locked on Tiran, she grabs the wizard’s staff and pulls it out of his hands with little resistance. Once in Al’s hands, the shadowy appendages dissipate and disappear into thin air, finally dropping the remaining party members back down to the ground.

No longer having a crutch to stand on, Tiran falls on his back, clutching at the spurting hole in his lower abdomen. He groans and writhes on the ground, his face contorting in pain and agony. 

Al stares at the man on the ground, feeling no sympathy or remorse for the actions she took to keep her found family safe. With one swift movement, she slams the head of the staff against a nearby boulder, shattering the obsidian jewel at its center. For good measure, the half elf breaks the strange black wood over her knee and tosses it on top of the bleeding wizard. 

“People like you, who hide behind false strength and torment others for your own gain, don’t deserve mercy or forgiveness..” she kneels down on one knee, grabbing the man by the front of his shirt. The sudden movement and change in position causes the man to wince and cry out in pain. “But today’s your lucky day, Tiran. I’m not the person I used to be. I used to cut people like you down every day because I believed I was making the world better. I thought I was helping people, making them feel more safe, but really.. I was doing the exact thing that caused me so much pain when I was young. I was taking away people’s loved ones just because their ideals and values didn’t align with my own. You’re brother Grim tried to hurt us, so we put him in prison. I will extend you the same courtesy because I know how difficult it is to lose your family. I don’t want to be the reason for that loss. But..” Al places the tip of her dagger right on Tiran’s adam’s apple, applying just enough pressure to draw a pinprick of blood. The wizard’s eyes widen at the sudden sharpness against his throat. The half elf’s gaze burns with the intensity of a forest fire, ready to burn and destroy everything in its path“.. if you ever come after me or my family again, I swear to the gods I will kill you right where you stand, no hesitation. Nod if you understand.” The man nods frantically, trying to move in a way that doesn’t push his neck into the blade. “Good. I’m glad we have an understanding.” Al lets the man fall back on his back with a thud, a strangled scream escaping his lips.

Al quickly stands and turns to face Simba, his body still laying limp and bloodied on the ground. She feels the familiar ache in her chest, threatening to paralyze her with fear and doubt. The half elf shakes herself back to reality and starts running toward him.“Simba!” she screams. “Can you guys handle the rest of them?” she asks quickly, gesturing to Tiran’s remaining men.

“We can handle this, Alagossa” Syr replies, brushing the dust off of her clothes and straightening her flower crown.. The rest of the party files behind the tiefling, their energy and magic fully restored, ready to support their friend.

When Al reaches Simba’s side, she kneels down on both knees, placing her hands on the Leonin’s shoulders. “Simba,” she says repeatedly, trying to shake him back to consciousness. She gently places an ear over his breastbone, hearing a faint heartbeat in addition to feeling the subtle rise and fall of his chest. “Thank gods” the half elf sighs in relief. She turns again to face the remaining party members only to find that they have not only knocked Tiran and his men unconscious, but they have also tied them up and patched up the wizard with bandages, the antidote beginning to work through his system. “Man you guys work fast” Al says in disbelief before getting back to the matter at hand. She shifts her gaze to the tiefling royal and asks “Syr, are you strong enough to fly?”

“Yes I believe so” she replies. “The magic draining effect those tendrils had over us seems to have dissipated so I am fine now.”

“Okay. I need you to fly to town and tell them what happened. Tell them that we need the local healer to meet us as soon as we arrive and the authorities to come out and handle Tiran and his men. Can you do that?” Al places gentle, shaking hands on Syr’s shoulders which the paladin notices. 

“Of course. You can rely on me” Syr says, placing her hands over Al’s as she stretches her wings out to their full width. With a big flap, the tiefling is airborne and soaring over the trees in the direction of the village. 

“We’ll be right behind you!” Al screams up as the winged party member flies out of sight. She shifts her attention to the air genasi of the group. “Humo, can you levitate Sim so we can start moving him?”

“One floating Leonin, coming up” the monk replies. Humo takes in a deep breath, centering himself. Their arms move as if they are one with the air around them, smooth and effortless. The party begins to feel a slight breeze that grows in intensity and speed as Humo picks up his pace. The grass beneath Simba’s body starts to flutter and bend against the magic wind as the Leonin is slowly lifted off the ground. When Humo finishes, they put out a hand in front of them, concentrating on maintaining the wind underneath their now floating friend. 

“Cherry. Cas. Can you both watch these guys until the authorities come for them?” Al asks, looking at the two remaining party members.

They both look at one another and smile. Simultaneously, they turn back to face their half elf friend, give her a thumbs up and say “You can count on us!”

Al allows herself to smile a little as she lets out a breath she didn’t realize she was holding. “Thank you.. All of you. Humo, let’s go.” The air genasi nods, jogging behind Al, working to avoid dropping the unconscious Simba as they head toward the village.

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Rise, fall. Rise, fall. Rise, fall. That is all the young half elf is able to focus on. The small, subtle rising and falling of Simba’s chest, the only visible proof that her partner is still alive. The Leonin’s head, arms and chest are adorned in bandages and gauze. He lays in a large, wooden bed provided by a kind inn owner, still unconscious. 

‘I did as much as I could,’ the healer had said earlier after seeing him. ‘But the damage is so extensive, I can’t heal him fully until the morning when my magic restores itself. For now, all we can do is watch and wait until then.’ _Extensive_. That word sticks in Al’s mind, the full gravity of the situation not lost on her. The thought of losing Simba shook the half elf to her very core. There were still so many things she wanted to say...

As the sun dips behind the hills surrounding the town, the small, sparsely furnished room begins to dim. Al stands from the stool she had placed by Simba’s bedside, crossing the room to light some candles. She didn’t really need them given her darkvision, but the soft glow of the flickering flames comforted her a bit, chasing away some of the intrusive thoughts filling her mind. 

A light knock comes from the slightly ajar doorway. Al finishes lighting the last candle before shifting her attention. Humo stands in the entrance to the room and quietly asks “Can I come in?” Al nods and motions for the monk to enter the room. “How’s he doing?” Humo asks, glancing at Simba over Al’s shoulder, concern etched on his face. 

“As good as he can be I guess” Al replies, a twinge of sadness evident in her voice. “He still hasn’t woken up so not much has really changed.” The half elf turns around, making sure the rise and fall of his chest was still present. 

“Well, I guess no news is good news. Especially after everything that happened today” Humo responds. They place a gentle hand on Al’s shoulder, causing the half elf to turn back to face them. “Now how are you doing?” She thinks for a moment, brow crinkled in thought before responding.

“I’m.. a lot of things I guess,” Al says honestly. “It feels like my heart is going to break into a million pieces under this.. crushing weight in my chest. I…” she pauses a moment, leaning her head back fighting against the urge to scream and cry at the top of her lungs. “I just.. miss him.” A few stray tears roll down her cheeks, her breath coming in gasps as she tries to compose herself. 

“Al, you have to breathe, okay?” Humo says, placing his free hand on the younger woman’s other shoulder, standing directly in front of her. “Breathe in, hold for 5, then slowly breathe out. I’ll do it with you.” The monk slows his breathing to the pace he wants Al to follow. The half elf mimics Humo as best she can, fighting to keep the flood of emotions at bay. After a minute or two of breathing, the tears finally stop flowing, her breath becoming more regular.

“I’m sorry” she whispers, her voice having a slight rasp as a result of the crying. 

“You don’t need to apologize” Humo says reassuringly, softly running his thumbs across the tops of her shoulders before dropping their hands down by their sides. “Honestly, you’re actually handling this a lot better than any of us ever could. You kept a level head and found a way out despite the odds being stacked against you. The way you took command in the forest, delegating tasks to the people best equipped for it.. That was really impressive.” Humo nods his head towards Simba and says “If Cas was in that bed.. I don’t know what I’d do. This situation isn’t easy, but we’re all here for you, okay? You don’t have to face this alone.”

Al lets a small smile tug at the corners of her lips, truly grateful for her friend’s words. “Thank you, Humo. I.. I really needed to hear that.”

“Did you want me to take over ‘Simba watch’ for a bit?” Humo asks. “You could probably use some sleep after everything, you know? Oh, not that you look tired or anything but um, I just-”

A small laugh escapes from the half elf’s lips, the weight in her chest lightening a bit. Humo laughs along with her, taking this as a signal to stop talking before they dig too deep of a hole. “I’ll be fine. I don’t think I’d get much sleep anyway. Besides, I um.. I don’t want him waking up alone.” She pauses a moment, glancing back at the bed. “I need to be here when he wakes up. I know that sounds silly..”

“Not silly at all” Humo replies. “All the feelings you have are completely valid. If you do need a break though, Cas and I are right across the hall. I know Cherry and Syr would be happy to help too and they’re right next door.. We’re here for you, Al. Good night and try to get some sleep, okay?” The monk nods his head, a little smile on their face as they walk out of the room, closing the door behind them. 

Alone again, Al takes a deep breath in and out as she moves to sit back on the wooden stool, the reality of the situation sinking back in. She scoots the seat forward a bit so she can rest her elbows on the bed. Resting her chin on the backs of her hands, she stares intently at her partner, the rising and falling of his chest bathing her in a small wave of calm. After a while, she relaxes her arms so her forearms now lay flat on the bed. She takes one of Simba’s large hands in her smaller one, the familiar feeling of fur tickling her skin. The young woman’s mind wanders to fond memories of her and Simba causing her to tighten her grip around his hand. A soft smile slowly settles on her lips as the flashes from the past remind her just how important the Leonin is to her. 

“Am I in heaven?” a soft, low voice says, coming from the head of the bed. Al’s eyes widen a bit as she slowly turns her head to search for the voice’s source. What she sees makes her heart flutter like the wings of a hummingbird. Simba’s golden eyes are now open and looking at her fondly. He squeezes her hand before saying “Because _man_ you are a beautiful angel.” 

Al shakes her head a bit and rubs her eyes, wanting to be absolutely sure that what she was seeing and hearing was real. “S-Simba?” Al asks, her voice shaking as a few loose tears roll down her cheeks. 

“You better not be crying over me, Tiger” Simba says as he sits up a little in bed, moving slowly to avoid aggravating his injuries. “You know it’s going to take a _lot_ more than some…” The Leonin is cut off by Al quite literally jumping into his arms. With tears of joy in her eyes, the half elf buries her head in Simba’s chest as she wraps her arms tightly around his torso. She begins speaking, her words muffled and hard to hear before Simba stops her. “Woah there, Tiger. I can’t understand what you’re saying. Here.” He grabs his partner by the waist and shifts her so she is seated at the edge of the bed, wincing a bit while doing so. 

“Sorry” Al apologizes, drying the remaining wet spots on her cheeks. “Simba, I love you” she says, the words coming out in a flurry. “I love you so much.” Al takes his hand in hers, admiring how his golden eyes are illuminated by the soft candlelight. 

Simba’s ears perk up at Al’s words, a look of disbelief on his face. “Tiger you.. You love me?” he asks, making sure he heard her correctly. “You’re not just saying that because I got my butt kicked by that Tiran guy earlier right?”

“No of course not!” Al exclaims, letting herself laugh a little at Simba’s question. “Simba, I am so sorry about this morning. When you said you loved me, I was so happy.. but I was also terrified.. Because of my past, I felt like loving me was a ‘curse’. Everyone I got close to, everyone I ever loved.. I lost them. Eventually, I decided that maybe it was best for me to close myself off to people, for my sake and for the sake of others so.. that’s what I did. I kept myself at arm's length, never letting myself get too attached to anyone. I thought that was the only way I could go through life without feeling that pain and loss again. Simba.. It was so lonely. Every day, I could feel myself slip a little deeper into this darkness that surrounded me. I became cold and callous among other things.. but then I met you. You were like a bright light that chased away the shadows, pulling me out of it with your kindness and love. But today, when you said you loved me, that darkness creeped back into my mind, making me doubt whether I was worthy of being loved by someone as incredible as you. I.. didn’t want to lose you like I had lost everyone else..I didn’t want to feel that pain again. This is going to sound ridiculous, but.. I stopped myself from saying it because I thought it would somehow protect you from the horror that is Alagossa Ertoris. I’m sorry, I’m rambling aren’t I?”

“Hey,” Simba says, interjecting for the first time. “It’s not ridiculous, Al. And you’re not rambling either, okay? Also, you’re no ‘horror’” The Leonin raises his free hand, gently brushing a stray strand of hair out of Al’s face and tucking it behind her ear. “Keep going.” he says reassuringly. 

Al smiles and takes a deep breath before continuing. “When I saw you hurt earlier, my heart nearly broke in half. You were trying to protect me and all this happened” Al says, gesturing to the multiple bandages and gauze covering Simba’s body. “I was talking with Syr before we got attacked by Tiran and she said something that really stuck with me. ‘You never know how long you have with your loved ones, so tell them how you feel while you still can.’ That was all that was running through my mind as I fought those guys. I had to fight, regardless of the odds, because there were still so many things I wanted to tell you that I hadn’t gotten to yet.. Including how much I love you. Sim, you saved me and you will never know how much that means to me. I never want you to doubt my feelings for you so I promise to love you with my whole heart every day for the rest of my life. I love you, Sim, and I hope that you still feel the same way about me despite everything.”

Simba waits a moment, thinking over his next words carefully. “Al, of course I still love you” he begins. “Nothing and I mean _nothing_ if ever going to change that. You are so strong and courageous and selfless and so many other things that make me fall for you so hard. You are not a curse, Alagossa Ertoris, you are a blessing. I thank the gods everyday for bringing you into my life. Since you made a promise to me, it’s only fair I make a few promises to you too. I promise to make you feel like the most beautiful woman in the world because that is exactly what you are. I promise to hold you and comfort you whenever you need it, even if you don’t think you do. I promise to make you laugh every day, even on the really tough days. And, most importantly, I promise to keep those shadows at bay by loving you with everything that I am, everyday for the rest of my life.”

Al is left absolutely speechless, tears freely streaming down her face. Simba places a hand on her cheek, brushing the tears away with his thumb. “I love you, Tiger,” he says, his eyes welling up.

“I love you too, Sim” Al replies, scooting herself closer to her partner. She wraps her hands behind his neck and pulls him into a soft, passionate kiss. After a while, they pull apart, their noses still touching as they stare deeply into each other’s eyes. “Hey, would it be alright if I slept in here tonight?” she asks quietly. “They made up a room for me since you’re recovering, but I.. I just want to be with you.”

Simba smiles laughing a little. “Of course, love. Nothing would make me happier.” The two kiss again before Al stands to blow out the candles in the room. Simba slowly shifts himself back down onto his back, scooting over to make more room for Al. The half elf crawls into bed, resting her head against him, letting the steady rising and falling of his chest lull her to sleep.


End file.
